Questions to Ask When Assessing a Rehab Facility

Health rehabilitation is often the first step to recovery for stroke survivors, amputees, addiction survivors and surgeries involving joints and muscles. Rehabilitation facilities provide for the 24-hour needs of their patients. An around-the-clock staff of nurses, caregivers and physicians work with the patient to recover at a pace that is hoped will facilitate a full recovery. Many private and public rehabilitation facilities are available for patients and their families.

Accreditations

• Facilities should be fully accredited by their state and local health boards. It is important not to assume that every rehabilitation center is accredited, so kindly ask to see the accreditations if they are not plainly visible. Accredited facilities should have a formal method of monitoring care for all patients. Ask how the facility monitors both for quality of the care given as well as the patient needs. It should be obvious whether the facility is clean and maintained, but what about the patients? How are immobile patients kept clean?

Program Offerings

• The rehabilitation center chosen should specialize in the type of care you or your loved one needs. Inquire about the specific programs needed for the patient. Ask specific questions to get details about the program offered so that you can compare with others and confirm with your doctor.

Doctors and Caregivers

• Inquire about the ratio of nurses, care staff and doctors to each patient. Ensure that the nurses and staff have all been trained in response methods to possible patient emergencies. Inquire whether doctors on staff are trained in the patient's ailment and recovery process. Ask how doctors diagnose patient needs in rehabilitation. Ask about any common rehabilitation diagnoses for the patient's ailment. Ask about common problems this facility has experienced with the recovery from the patient's ailment.

Therapy Methods

• Inquire about therapy methods. Ask what methods are required by the state board and how the facility meets those requirements. Ask to view the equipment room if special apparatuses are required for rehabilitation (such as learning to walk again). Inquire about common treatments for the patient's ailment. Inquire about rare or unusual therapy methods the facility has implemented for recovery from the patient's ailment.